Defendant Sentenced to 36 Months for Bluetooth Speaker Stabbing

By Elizabeth Brady - November 4, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | stabbing | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced a stabbing defendant to 36 months of incarceration on Nov. 1 over an altercation that originated with a stolen Bluetooth speaker.

On July 25, Zoneil Williams, 51, pled guilty to assault with significant bodily injury for his involvement in a stabbing that took place on March 5 on the 4000 block of 4th Street, SE. 

Through the deal, parties agreed to a sentencing range of 18-to-36 months of incarceration. 

According to the court’s discussion, the stabbing stemmed from Williams’ disabled condition and the victim’s friend allegedly stealing the defendant’s Bluetooth speaker. Williams took it out on the victim by stabbing him three times in the back and once in the armpit. 

Williams claimed, “I let my emotions get the best of me” in his apology to the Judge. He explained that when he gets angry, he would call someone to calm him down but he recently lost his phone. 

The prosecution argued for the highest end of the range, given the defendant’s extensive criminal history with twelve arrests and six convictions including incidents for possession of a firearm in a violent offense, robbery, assault, and domestic assault – “just plainly saying, he’s a dangerous person.”

Defense attorney Quo Mieko Judkins explained how most of those convictions were from the early 90s and how Williams suffers from mental disorders including bipolar and PTSD. Williams would like to enter programs such as anger management, mental health, and drug addiction in this “opportunity to go back on the right track,” Judkins explained.

Judge Hertzfeld stated “you’re close to maxing out your criminal history score” in explaining her judgment, “it’s lucky this person is not dead.”

She sentenced Williams to 36 months of incarceration with three years of supervised release. The defendant will also be required to pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime Fund and is recommended to enter a facility to receive mental health and drug treatments. 

No further dates were set.